What type of diapers are best

Calling all green parents! But note that the environmental-friendliness comes at a price, since they're one of the expensive options on the "best diapers for newborns" round-up. Pampers Pure Diapers are super comfortable and breathable, but they're also manufactured with plant-based materials and recyclable packaging. Many parents rely on the hypoallergenic diapers for babies with sensitive skin, including those with diaper rash. Moms and dads also enjoy the quick absorbency, wetness indicator, overnight protection, and cute patterns.

The next time you're making a Target run, check out the store's brand of affordable diapers for newborns. They have a stretchy design that stops leaks, a wetness indicator, a breathable outer cover, and adjustable secure-grip tabs. Target also didn't skimp on health concerns—the hypoallergenic diapers don't contain any lotion, fragrance, or latex.

Another eco-friendly option, these Andy Pandy diapers consist of highly absorbent bamboo, which prevents blowouts without harmful rash-causing chemicals like latex, alcohol, phthalates, and chlorine. The diapers are naturally hypoallergenic, and they're highly biodegradable—ideal for families with green values!

Parents also love the wetness indicator and moisture-wicking properties. They're chlorine-free, processed wood fluff pulp, and contain natural sustainably-sourced ingredients.

You won't even find lead or heavy metals in the ink! The high-capacity core absorbs pee and poop, while the breathable moisture barrier keeps your little one comfy. The 10 Best Diapers for Newborns in By Nicole Harris Updated March 17, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Save Pin More. Start Slideshow. Pampers Swaddlers Diapers.

Credit: Courtesy of Target. Available Sizes: Preemie - 7. Huggies Little Snugglers. Honest diapers are available in a variety of prints, with some being limited edition or only available seasonally. This made them by far the most visually interesting to look at of all the diapers I tested.

But how much will that matter when you roll it up oftentimes filled with poop and throw it in the garbage? These diapers were also the most form-fitting of the bunch. The contoured rear clung to my daughter's tush with little sag or puffiness.

But that shapeliness might come at a price. My daughter had a three-way blowout up the back and out both leg holes in an Honest diaper -- by far the messiest incident of the test -- and I suspect it may have something to do with the poop having nowhere to go.

The Honest Company likes to flex its green credentials in its marketing, but some of the eco-friendly features it touts are dubious. One example is the "plant-based" polylactic acid outer layer, which may come from plants but is still a plastic that won't degrade for hundreds of years.

At 43 cents per diaper in size 4, Honest is overpriced and not much better if at all than any other diaper on this list. Founded in , Pampers has been a major player in the disposable diaper game for 60 years. There's a good chance your parents, and perhaps even their parents, wore Pampers.

Being a household name for that long gives the brand a huge advantage in the market, and for the most part Pampers' reputation is earned by offering reasonable quality at an affordable price. The Pampers performed well in tests. The elastic band creates a tight seal at the waist while still having plenty of give for comfort. The Velcro tabs separate from the back flaps easily and are teal-colored, a feature my vision-impaired father-in-law appreciated as it made them easier to see compared to white on white.

The leg holes fit my daughter's thighs somewhat loosely, but I experienced no leakages. The diaper held overnight, though it left her skin damp in the morning despite these testers belonging to the Pampers Baby Dry line. Pampers work perfectly fine for the money 32 cents each in size 4 , but I just can't get past their baby powder-like smell. The fragrance is "non-allergenic and non-irritating to the skin," according to Pampers, but it's a bit too strong for me.

The Pampers Pure line is fragrance-free, though more expensive at cents per diaper. On the topic of ingredients, Pampers says it uses elemental chlorine-free fluff pulp that comes from Sustainable Forestry Initiative-certified sources. These diapers have a lot in common with Pampers -- and that's no coincidence. But looking at a Luvs and a Pampers Baby Dry side by side, it's hard to tell where they cut costs. The waistband is practically identical to the Pampers, having the same stretchy back flaps with easy-to-peel-apart fastener tabs.

As you might expect, this means the fit is about the same, which is to say very good. Even peeking under the top sheet with an X-Acto knife revealed no clear differences to my untrained eyes. Both appeared to have the same amount of fluff pulp and three rows of super absorbent polymer gel. I have not sampled Pampers' Swaddlers or Cruisers lines, so I can't say if those are also similar.

One difference that puts Luvs a rung up from Pampers in my book: Luvs have no fragrance! I also appreciate the brand's more simplified lineup -- there's one Luvs diaper and that's it. However, I can see how this could be a downside if Luvs don't fit your baby well. But if they do, you'll save a considerable amount compared to Pampers as each diaper costs just cents. Because Costco heavily discounts the products it sells under its Kirkland Signature brand, the identities of Kirkland manufacturers are often kept secret to protect them from diluting their other, more expensive brands.

It's said that Kirkland Signature diapers are made by Kimberly-Clark, the personal care giant behind Huggies diapers. Looking at the two side by side, it's easy to spot some similarities. Both have stretchy elastic waistbands and long fastener tabs replete with Velcro hooks.

The Kirkland also has a poo-catching pocket, a Huggies signature feature. On my baby, they fit about the same as the Huggies I'm used to.

However, I noticed the Kirklands tend to be wetter after a night's use, giving off a strong smell of urine through my daughter's pajamas and sometimes being damp on the outside of the diaper. They didn't leak necessarily, but they didn't hold as well as others in the test. It could be that the cost savings come from a less robust absorbent core, though we can only speculate.

But with the savings you'll see switching to Kirkland, you might be willing to put up with that. Kirkland Signature diapers range from cents per diaper, depending on size. But like most things at Costco, you have to buy in bulk to get that price as well as being a member. A box of size 4s contained diapers and was big enough for my 3-year-old to play hide and seek in.

Choosing a store brand over a name brand can feel like a gamble. Will you get essentially the same thing for less money or will you get exactly what you pay for? They performed their intended function well enough in this test, but would they be worth it in the long run?

That's tough for me to say. There's no mistaking this diaper for anything other than a budget option. Just handling them back to back with the other diapers I tested, they feel insubstantial. The pattern, while colorful, looks plain and generic mine had whales printed on them and the outer layer feels plasticky and cheap. I experienced no leaks with these diapers, though they did smell strongly of urine after an overnight change.

My daughter's skin was wet in the morning, but none of the diapers I tested were able to keep her completely dry overnight. That was a bit of a spoiler - these are basically the Little Snugglers but with the added bonus of being hypoallergenic, partially plant-based, and without many of the harsh chemicals that plague the more mainstream diaper brands.

The other difference is what we fell in love with - just how amazingly soft and comfortable these diapers are! They feel like something we wanted to put on ourselves, and you need to feel them to believe it!

With all that softness, they still have some great features: the newborn diapers include the umbilical cord cut-out, they all include the front and rear wetness indicator strip, and up to size 2 includes the rear flap to prevent blow-outs we got a pack of size 3 and they didn't have the flap. How did they function? About the same as the Little Snugglers - really well, and we didn't experience any leaks, blow-outs, or diaper rash. There wasn't any sort of gel mess when they were wet. We didn't try them for nighttime use because we prefer overnight diapers for that purpose.

No blow-outs were experienced, but we do note that the awesome Huggies rear flap only seems to be on sizes Newborn to 2 with these diapers, so we think they are perfect as a newborn diaper. If you have a toddler who still experiences loose stools up the back of the diaper, then definitely consider a different diaper! You can check out the Huggies Special Delivery Diapers here. This is a premium diaper for discerning parents who are willing to pay a bit more about 15 cents more per diaper for high quality and eco-friendly alternative to the big brands.

There are a lot of small companies cropping up and selling all natural premium diapers, but this is the best reviewed one out there. These diapers are so free of everything, we're not sure what's left for ingredients!

They are a great diaper for babies with contact allergies, given that they are also free of gluten, wheat, and corn. How do they do it? These diapers use biodegradeable and eco-friendly bamboo, making them super soft and comfortable, and giving them very high absorbency. The company that makes these diapers, sends a portion of sales to St. Jude's hospital, so you can feel good about paying a bit extra; they are also very responsive to questions or concerns, and customer service is reportedly fantastic.

The diapers are also compostable and biodegradable, Moms reported how surprised they were that a diaper from a small company that has so many good things going for it could actually work so well! Some moms reported that these diapers were great for overnight, but others reported that they wouldn't suggest using them for overnight. We suspect that this has to do with baby size, bladder size, and sleeping positions; maybe give it a shot and cross your fingers.

These diapers are highly recommended, and without the increased price they would have been 1 on our list. Same goes for the BAMBO Nature diapers, which are very similar to these and quite excellent though not as good on absorbancy , but also a bit too expensive to include here. The Huggies Little Snugglers come in at third place for use in newborn babies up to size 3.

The Little Snugglers use Leak Lock technology that has strong absorbency and a unique "pocket" on the rear waistband that helps stop the mess from spraying up the back. Moms said this feature was more than a marketing gimmick and actually worked on a few occasions when they thought the mess would have been much larger without it! Like the Swaddlers, these have a reliable wetness indicator that changes color when your baby pees. They also have a great umbilical cord cutout that keeps the diaper from rubbing up against the sensitive umbilical cord area.

They will leak with overnight use. Moms report that they have a great fit around the thighs and bum areas, and the fragrance is tolerable. The Cruisers are the overall best diaper option for babies about 16 pounds and up. Several moms recommended that once your baby begins to move around a bit, you transition from Swaddlers to Cruisers for active babies with growing bladders.

The Cruisers have 3 layers of absorption, a flexible fit for babies of different shapes the long lean ones, or short pudgy ones , and provide much better overnight protection than the Swaddlers. This is good since your baby will likely begin sleeping for longer stretches at night fingers crossed and the last thing you want to do is wake your baby up every hours for a diaper change!

The Cruisers are about the same price per diaper as the Swaddlers if you buy in larger quantities like a box of or We found these for a good price at Amazon. What did our moms say about these diapers? They reported that blow-outs and leaks were very rare with these, due mostly to high absorbency and strong and nicely-fitting elastic that contours nicely to the thighs and bum. They are not as soft and padded as the Swaddlers, as they are prioritizing leak-proofing versus comfort, and they also no longer include the wetness indicator like the Swaddlers.

But they are a great all-around diaper with good fit and excellent absorbency, and very few moms reported any rashes with this product. Yes, this is 2 for both infants and toddlers; they're just that good! The company that makes these diapers sends a portion of sales to St.

These are the direct competitor to the Huggies Special Delivery Diapers above. They have the same principles: provide a mainstream diaper that can compete with the more natural brands emerging on the market, including a super soft outside that's lined with cotton, no chlorine use, no fragrances or perfumes, no parabens or latex, and hypoallergenic. That makes most parents feel much better about what's coming in contact with their child's skin - after all, these are sitting up against their body and against mucous membranes 24 hours a day, so it's worth considering.

To be fair, these are really impressive diapers. Are they as good as the new Huggies Special Delivery? Not quite, but they're a good step in the right direction. We definitely prefer the Special Delivery ones for newborns up to size 2 because it includes the rear flap for blow-outs, and then it's sort of a toss-up between these two options once you get to size 3 because that's when the Huggies option loses the rear flap.

That said, these are basically the Pampers Swaddlers that have been modified to remove irritants and harsh chemicals, and add some softness. Side-by-side with the Swaddlers they really look identical in shape and size, save for some different patterns and less fragrance with the Pure option. And they function really similarly. We didn't experience any leakage or blow-outs, and no diaper rash. They were soft and comfortable, and we think they are a great option for toddlers!

Worth the extra cost over the Cruisers? Maybe, but we'll let you figure that out! Who else recommends the Pampers Pure diapers? Our friends at Babylist and Babygear lab also consider them a top pick! You can check out the Pampers Pure Diapers here. A few years ago we suggested Huggies Little Movers as a top toddler diaper. Unfortunately they recently changed their diaper design and have been receiving terrible reviews about leaks and blow-outs. Last year, we were going to recommend the diaper that has always been a close second to the Little Movers, the Luvs Ultra Leakguards , but unfortunately they have also gone downhill.

They must have revamped their diapers around the same time as Huggies.